GUSTAV Holst was the Composer presented to the Bury & District Recorded Music Circle by member Mr Joe Sowden.

Holst is known today as the composer of the Planets and maybe his St Paul's Suite and little else. However, he wrote opera, chamber, vocal and orchestral music of many different styles, based on subjects as varied as folk songs, Tudor music, sanskrit literature, astrology and contemporary poetry.

Joe covered a wide range of Holst's work in the time allowed, including amongst others the ballet music from the opera The Perfect Fool, Suite No1 for military band, Ben Mora-Oriental Suite and his St Paul's Suite.

Mr Michael Blunt thanked Joe for his selection of items and remarked that the members would see Holst in a very different light in the future.

Tonight Mr Jim Hopkinson will present El Condor Pasa, a combination of slides and music. Definitely not to be missed!

On Friday, February 18, 29 members and friends attended the circle's social evening at the Unsworth Cricket Club, where they enjoyed an evening of chat and quizzes ( Monica got 20 out of 20 in the quiz on musicals) this was followed by a splendid buffet. We thank the ladies committee for organising this splendid event.

J.S.